Kenya to build new drinking water supply system in Mombasa County

A new drinking water supply system is set to be constructed in Kenya’s Mombasa County. The Kwale Water and Sewerage Co.(Kwawasco), the Mombasa County Water Utility announced the infrastructure will be developed in Ukunda town.

The dubbed Ukunda water project is set to improve service to the people of this coastal town in the southern part of Mombasa County, Kenya. Kwawasco is coordinating the drinking water project, which will result in the construction of 11 boreholes.

READ:Dangote’s Sephaku Cement sets out water management programmes

Support system

The facilities will pump water from the groundwater table and store it in two tanks with a combined capacity of 2,100 m3. The water will flow through a 67 km long distribution network to serve households in Ukunda and surrounding towns. The works also include upgrading the existing distribution line from Ng’ombeni to Ukunda.

According to Chairman of the Mombasa County Public Water Supply Company, Francis Nzai Mjera, the project is estimated to be delivered in 12 months. Upon completion the new water supply system will support the existing one, which produces barely 5 m3 of drinking water per day.

The World Bank is financing the project to the tune of US $13M. In addition to supplying the people of Ukunda, the initiative will certainly help to improve drinking water coverage throughout Kenya. According to a report from the US non-profit development organisation Water.org, With a population of more than 50 million in the East African country, 16 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. People are turning to unimproved water sources, such as ponds, shallow wells and rivers.